


A Nostalgic Trip

by nhasablog



Category: Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Sibling Bonding, Tickling, idk what else to tag this with rip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-23
Updated: 2017-11-23
Packaged: 2019-02-06 01:30:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12806649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nhasablog/pseuds/nhasablog
Summary: Loki, I thought the world of you.“Shut up.” Loki slapped his palms over his ears. “For once in your life,shut up.”(Or, Thor’s words keep echoing in Loki’s mind, and he cannot stop thinking about how much he’s messed up.)





	A Nostalgic Trip

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for Ragnarök are in this fic, so don’t read unless you’ve seen the movie or want to be spoiled or simply don’t care.

_Loki, I thought the world of you._

Those goddamn words hadn’t left Loki’s head since he’d heard them. They’d defeated Hela, vacated their old home, landed on Midgard, dropped Banner off, travelled far across the planet in order to find a new place to settle down, and the words were still there, echoing in his mind. It was almost infuriating how one phrase could have this effect on him.

Thor must’ve noticed his distraction, for he kept shooting him glances when he thought Loki wasn’t paying attention. The fact of the matter was that Loki was always aware of everything around him even when his attention was somewhere else. It was a skill he’d been forced to learn.

Norway was turning into a winter wonderland; the majority of the places they found themselves at covered with glittering snow. Loki had to admit he enjoyed the cold beauty, though he would never say it aloud.

Thor seemed to be liking it as well. “Remember how we used to built snow palaces as kids?” he said, brushing the snow off of a few tree branches.

“Vividly. Mine was always the best.”

“As oblivious as ever, I see.”

Loki barked out a laugh. “I’d forgotten how funny you were.”

“I cannot believe you just gave me a compliment, and therefore I won’t take it as one.”

“You have the wrong picture of me.” Loki suddenly felt a wave of  _something_ wash over him. Something way too emotionally inducing for his taste. He cleared his throat. “Then again, I reckon I haven’t given you any reason to believe me recently.”

Thor was looking at him now, as if trying to read him. “You have, brother. In critical moments, you have.”

Loki averted his eyes, unsure of what to say.

Thor took a step closer. “Loki-”

“Race you back to the cabin.” And he was off, letting the freezing air that was hitting his face as he ran wash away all his vulnerability. Stupid, stupid feelings.

Thor didn’t mention it again for the rest of the evening, but Loki could feel his observing gaze on him, and he wanted so desperately to meet it, but couldn’t. Knew his eyes would give too much away. He’d never been good at this.

_Loki, I thought the world of you._

“Shut up.” Loki slapped his palms over his ears. “For once in your life,  _shut up_.”

Thor looked positively alarmed now. “Okay, I’m now certain you’ve gone insane. What’s wrong?”

“Your stupid words won’t leave my fucking mind.”

“What are you talking about?”

“What you said. In the elevator. It keeps playing in my head and I cannot stand it.”

Thor suddenly looked as if everything made sense, but for Loki that didn’t help at all. “Loki-”

“Shh. Don’t. Don’t say a word. I don’t wanna hear it.”

“Loki, I did think the world of you back then, and I still do.”

“Bull.”

“It’s more complicated now, yes, but things haven’t changed.”

Loki didn’t reply. He felt sillier than he could handle, and was seriously debating taking off to end this disaster of a moment, but he figured that wouldn’t be appreciated.

So he stayed put, but he wasn’t about to endure a Talk.

“Forget it. Let’s just change the subject. Or go to bed. Or anything really, I’m not picky.”

Thor smiled, though it looked as if he was trying to hold it back. “Stop panicking.”

“Who’s panicking? I’ve never panicked in my entire life.”

“Uh huh.”

“You don’t believe me?”

“Obviously not.”

“So little trust.”

Neither of them mentioned the truth behind those words.

Thor shifted where he was sitting. “I just want you to know-”

“Not a word, brother.”

“-that I care about you, for what it’s worth.”

“God, this is too much.”

“Hey, you started it.”

“I didn’t mean to. I was just going crazy.”

“Maybe we should talk about this.”

“Since when did we talk about things?”

“Since now? Hopefully.”

“Be realistic, brother.”

Thor shook his head. “One day we’re going to have to learn how to communicate.”

“As the Swedes say: that day, that sorrow.”

The next day they left their cabin and journeyed toward more secluded areas, trying to find the perfect place to rebuild a whole kingdom. Loki knew they probably wouldn’t end up staying on Midgard, but he tagged along anyway, because he knew Thor needed to do this and he wasn’t about to leave his brother alone. Odin knew he’d left Thor alone too many times.

“That was the most boring town I’ve ever stepped foot in,” he said, throwing a glance behind them at the small houses that could barely be seen anymore.

“I think it had a certain charm.”

“Oh, it did, but imagine living there full time.” Loki shuddered. “I’m bored just thinking about it.”

“I’m sure you’d change that.”

“Of course I would.”

“Good thing we’re leaving them alone then.”

Loki was about to make a comment about Thor not having any trust in him, but he caught himself just in time. This would plague him for the rest of his existence, wouldn’t it?  
  
Thor noticed his sudden mood swing. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Loki.”

“ _Nothing_.”

Thor sighed. “Sometimes you make it very hard to try to help you.”

“Sorry for being such a disappointment.”

“ _Loki_.”

“Sorry.”

“Have you been transformed to a youngling again or something?”

“Maybe. That would be the most logical explanation.”

Thor shook his head. “I don’t understand you.”

“No surprise there.”

“I would like to try, though.”

“I’m not sure that’s possible.”

“It could be if you’d let me.”

Loki didn’t reply, only squinted at the snowflakes that were clouding his vision. Thor must’ve thought it a lost battle, for he didn’t say anything else for a while, so only their shoes stepping in the fresh snow could be heard as they made their way through the Norwegian field toward a forest. Asgardians needed their forests, just like the Scandinavians.

They settled down in a cave, lighting a fire easily and barely feeling the cold from outside only minutes in. Loki felt himself relaxing, which of course he never should do.

He noticed that Thor had something planned slightly too late. His brother had slowly moved closer to him, and he had no business sitting that close unless he was up to something. Loki knew, because that was how he worked as well. They had never necessarily been the most touchy feely siblings.

“What do you want?” he asked with a frown.

“Oh, nothing.”

“Liar.”

“I just don’t like the way you’ve been acting. Things are obviously weighing you down, and it pains me to see it.”

“And what, exactly, are you supposed to do about it?”

“Not sure yet. Something that will help, hopefully.”

“Very good plan, Thor.”

“Hey, stop underestimating me. I’m working on it.” Thor nudged him in the ribs, and Loki’s traitor of a body recoiled at the contact, which Thor of course noticed.

Dammit.

“Don’t even think about it,” Loki said when Thor started grinning. “This is where I draw the line. You do not get to force me out of this slump like this.”

Thor’s face fell. “That’s fair. Unfortunately. But I still don’t like this.”

“Learn to live with it. It’s all your fault.”

“It’s not my fault you’re so caught up with a sentence I said.”

Loki crossed his arms. “Whatever.”

Thor sighed. “I give up. Goodnight, brother.”

Loki now felt even worse, but he only shut his eyes when Thor moved away and willed sleep to take him. He dreamt strange things all night.

* * *

 

He felt better the next day and was determined to not let the phrase possess him like it had so far. He knew it would most likely still be stuck in his mind, but at least he would try to interact with his brother without feeling an anger mixed with sorrow toward him. This was all his own fault, to begin with.

And Thor had expressed that he was willing to move on. It should be enough.

Loki wished it was enough.

They weren’t tiptoeing around each other, per se, but Loki had certainly bitten back several comments that would’ve usually left his mouth easily, and he knew it was probably the same for Thor, who had little to say that day. He didn’t like how things were unraveling.

“Do you remember that time we were so angry at each other that we vowed to never speak again?”

Thor glanced up at him, causing him to almost trip over a rock that had appeared in his path. “The time we managed to not exchange a word for a whole week?”

“That one.”

“I remember it vividly.” Thor smiled, nostalgia gripping him. “Mother was the one to finally set her foot down.”

“She could be scary at times.”

“I’m glad she did, though, because knowing us we might’ve still not have been on speaking terms.”

“I mean, we’re doing a pretty good imitation of it today.” Why couldn’t he ever keep his goddamn mouth shut?

Thor licked his lips. “I apologize for that.”

“Oh please, you don’t have to.”

“If it’s enough to bother you then-”

“A lot of things have been bothering me recently. Best not pay them any mind.”

“You always do this, you know.”

Loki hadn’t realized when they’d stopped walking, but now he found himself shifting from foot to foot. “Do what?”

“Act as if your feelings don’t matter.”

“Well, I don’t have the best track record when it comes to dealing with them.”

“The past is the past. Sure, it’s a difficult past to overlook, but the least I can do is make sure you know you can just talk to me when you need to.”

“And this turned sappy quickly.”

“Loki, please stay.” Thor had reached out and grabbed Loki’s arm when he’d turned to leave. “For once, don’t run away from me.”

“I don’t know what to do, Thor.” Loki threw his hands up dramatically, but it felt good to be dramatic. “As soon as I have it all figured out we go back to square one.” He didn’t mention that he knew it was his own fault, because Thor knew it too, and they had made a silent vow to not mention the obvious.

“It’s confusing,” Thor agreed. “But we’re powering through it. We have to.”

Loki averted his eyes and stared at the pine trees around them. He ached to change the subject now.

Thor beat him to it. “Race you back to the cave.” And he was off, and Loki was left blinking at his retreating form before rushing after, an involuntary laugh leaving his lips. His brother was ridiculous.

“You’ve got a head start!” Loki called after him. “It’s unfair!”

“All is fair in love and war.”

Loki really felt as if they were children again, running through the palace to echoes of their parents telling them to stop and them not caring at all because what was the point of life if you couldn’t play whenever you wanted? It had been a nostalgic trip, but this was really taking the prize.

Loki stopped, feeling overwhelmed as he watched Thor enter the cave, his head emerging when he realized Loki wasn’t behind him. “Loki?”

“Give me a minute.”

“You’ve not lost your speed, have you?”

“I think I’ve lost my mind.”

“You lost your breath. Stop being dramatic.”

Thor met him in the snow, a rare and mischievous grin on his lips that almost made Loki worried. “What are you doing?”

Thor kept walking until he was pretty much invading Loki’s personal space. “What you wouldn’t let me do yesterday. This isn’t me cheering you up, is it? I’m just being a big brother.”

Loki would swear to anyone that he only let Thor pounce on him because he hadn’t realized what he was talking about. They hit the ground, the snow dampening the fall but soaking Loki’s back simultaneously. He let out a yelp, but it was quickly overpowered by the laughter that started pouring out of his mouth the moment Thor’s - cold - fingers found his neck and upper ribs.

Oh, this was embarrassing.

“Thohohor, you big-”

“You shouldn’t insult the hands that have you at their mercy, brother.”

“Stop it then!”

“You need the laughter, and we both need the bonding. Do you remember doing this as kids? It always made the atmosphere feel lighter.”

This nostalgic route was neverending, and Loki was certain he would choke to death on the memories before they were done. He tried to grab at Thor’s wrists in order to push them away, but his brother had done this countless of times and knew his escape tactics (that didn’t involve actual magic), and thus he managed to avoid being stopped each time.

Loki curled into a ball, but Thor’s fingers were still wiggling against his sensitive spots, sending unbearable jolts up his skin. But Loki couldn’t say he hated this.

He wouldn’t say he loved it either, of course.

He remembered nights so very long ago where they alternated between being the one to dish out the playful torture, and they kept it up for so long that their mother had to tell them to stop and go to bed. But it had been a way for them to bond without really using words, and Loki hadn’t realized how much he’d missed it.

He reckoned Thor had missed it too, if the smile on his face was anything to go by.

This did mean that Loki would get to revisit Thor’s ticklish spots afterwards, though, and it had been a while since he’d been this excited about the prospect of something.

“It hurts!”

“It doesn’t,” Thor shot back, though he did tickle him much more gently after that, even though they both knew Loki had been lying.

“Brother, please,” he managed to choke out. “I cannot take it!”

“I’m surprised. You used to be able to stand it for longer.” But Thor did back off, probably scared of crossing a line. Little did he know Loki would pounce the moment he heaved himself off of him.

The surprised laughter was worth it, but then again, maybe it wasn’t surprised at all.

**Author's Note:**

> Here's my [tumblr](http://nhasablog.tumblr.com).


End file.
